Affiliate FAQ
Everything people ask about the Costello affiliate programme, in one place. Can't find your answer? Email affiliates@costellohq.com.
Joining
Does it cost anything to join?
No. Joining is free and there's no monthly fee. You only ever make money.
Do I need to be a Costello customer to be an affiliate?
No. Anyone can join, customer or not. Many of our affiliates have never used Costello themselves — they just know businesses who'd benefit.
Is there an approval process?
No. You sign up, and you're in immediately with your link ready to share. There's no waiting list or application review.
How do I sign up?
At platform.costellohq.com/affiliates/signup. It takes under a minute.
I'm already a Costello customer — can I still be an affiliate?
Yes. Your affiliate account is separate from your customer account (same email, different login). Log in to refer at platform.costellohq.com/affiliates/login.
Commission
How much do I earn?
30% of every payment a referred business makes, every month, for their first 12 months. That's roughly £7.20/month per Starter customer, £14.70/month per Growth customer, and £38.70/month per Unlimited customer.
Is it really recurring?
Yes. You're paid again every month a referred business keeps paying — not just once. The only limit is the 12-month window per referral.
Why is it "about" 30% and not exactly 30%?
Commission is calculated on what the customer pays after the card-processing fee that Stripe charges us (roughly 1.5–3%). We pay 30% of the money we actually keep. It's a small difference, and it's always in line with real revenue.
What happens after 12 months?
Commission for that particular referral stops after their first 12 months of paying. The customer stays with Costello, but the affiliate commission window has closed. Every new business you refer starts its own fresh 12-month window.
Is there a limit on how much I can earn?
No. There's no cap on the number of businesses you can refer or the total commission you can earn.
What if my referral upgrades or downgrades their plan?
Your commission tracks whatever they actually pay. If they move from Growth to Unlimited, your monthly commission goes up with their bill. If they downgrade, it adjusts down. You always earn 30% of their real payment.
What if they pay annually instead of monthly?
An annual payment covers the whole 12-month window in one go, so you earn a single commission on that annual payment (held for 60 days rather than 30). It works out the same 30% — just paid as one larger amount instead of twelve smaller ones.
Tracking and attribution
How does Costello know a customer came from me?
Your link drops a cookie that remembers your code for 30 days, and logs the click on your dashboard. If the visitor signs up, that business is permanently tied to your account.
How long do I have before the link "expires"?
The cookie lasts 30 days from the click. As long as they sign up within that window, they're attributed to you. Once they've signed up, the attribution is permanent — it's stored against their business account, not the cookie.
What if someone clicks my link but signs up weeks later on the Free plan, then pays months after that?
You still earn. Attribution is locked in at sign-up and sticks for the life of the account. Your 30% commission begins automatically on their first paid invoice, no matter how long after sign-up that is.
What if two affiliates refer the same business?
First touch wins. The first affiliate whose link led to the sign-up keeps the referral.
Do clicks alone earn anything?
No — commission is only paid when a referred business becomes a paying customer. Clicks and sign-ups are shown on your dashboard so you can see how your sharing is performing.
Getting paid
How do I get paid?
Through Stripe. You connect your bank once via Stripe Express from your dashboard, and we transfer your commission automatically each month. See Getting paid.
When do I get paid?
Payouts run monthly. Each commission is held for 30 days, then becomes payable on the next monthly run — provided your cleared balance is over £50. In practice your first payment usually arrives one to two months after your first referral starts paying.
Why is there a minimum payout?
The £50 minimum keeps bank-transfer fees from eating into tiny payments. If you're under £50 in a month, your balance rolls over and is paid the first month it passes the threshold — you never lose it.
Why is my commission showing as "pending"?
Every commission is held for 30 days (60 for annual plans) before it clears. This protects against refunds. Once the hold passes, it moves to "ready for next payout".
Do I need a business or a company to get paid?
No. Stripe Express can pay individuals. During setup, Stripe asks for the details it legally needs to send you money.
What about tax?
Affiliate commission is income, and you're responsible for declaring it according to the rules where you live. Costello doesn't withhold tax. If you're unsure, check with an accountant.
Refunds and fair play
What happens if a customer I referred gets a refund?
The matching commission is reversed. If it was still pending, it's simply cancelled. If it had already been paid to you, the amount is deducted from your next payout. Partial refunds reverse only the matching portion.
What if a customer disputes a charge?
We provisionally reverse the commission while the dispute is open. If the customer loses the dispute, we put the commission back — you keep it.
Can I refer myself or my own business?
No. Referring your own account, your own business, or your immediate family doesn't earn commission. We detect self-referrals (for example, the same payment card being used across your own referrals) and they're rejected automatically. Repeated attempts can get you removed from the programme.
What counts as fraud?
Creating fake sign-ups, using your own link to get a discount on your own subscription, misleading people into signing up, or spamming. Any of these can result in commission being withheld and your account being reviewed or banned. Genuine recommendations to real businesses are exactly what the programme is for.
Account and support
Where's my dashboard?
platform.costellohq.com/affiliates/dashboard — log in at platform.costellohq.com/affiliates/login.
I've forgotten my password.
Use the reset link on the affiliate login page, or email affiliates@costellohq.com.
Can I change my referral code?
Codes are generated automatically and are permanent. If you have a strong reason to change yours, email us and we'll see what we can do.
How do I contact the affiliate team?
Email affiliates@costellohq.com with your affiliate code and we'll help with anything — payments, tracking, or general questions.